If nothing else, Kon Knueppel’s first press conference as a member of the Charlotte Hornets was memorable.
Taking the podium moments after being selected with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, the former Duke star first answered a question about whether he’d be continuing his college education while remaining in North Carolina.
“Yeah, we’ll see. That’s not something I was really thinking about,” Knueppel began.
“I’m sure your parents are,” the reporter interrupted.
“Yeah, it wasn’t something I was really thinking about,” the 19-year-old reiterated. “But obviously being close there, that’s opened up a realm of possibility for me.”
From there, Knueppel answered a boilerplate question about his fit with the Hornets, expressing excitement about the prospect of playing alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
And then — that was it.
For whatever reason, the former 5-star prospect’s first press conference in the NBA lasted all of two questions, which spanned less than 90 seconds. For comparison’s sake, V. J. Edgecombe received 11 questions after the Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the No. 3 overall pick. In contrast, Liam McNeeley — who the Hornets took with the No. 29 overall pick — was asked seven questions in his own post-draft press conference.
There is context to all of this. Perhaps the most obvious being that Charlotte is one of the NBA’s smaller media markets. And while McNeeley received more than twice as many questions despite being selected 25 picks later, that could be explained by the reigning Big East Freshman of the Year having spent the lone season of his college career at nearby UConn.
It’s also worth noting that Knueppel being selected early in the draft likely meant that reporters in attendance were more inclined to remain focused on selections than to participate in a paint-by-numbers press conference. And fear not, Hornets fans: the No. 4 overall pick also fielded questions from the local media via a virtual press conference following his initial in-person Q&A.
Still, the sight of a top-five pick taking just two questions — one of which had nothing to do with basketball — was certainly a strange one.
Perhaps the best possible explanation: Knueppel already answered everything that anyone could possibly need to know about himself during his recent extended interview on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.